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Quick Easy Snowball Cookies with Toasted Pecans & Vanilla

snowball cookies with toasted pecans - featured image
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These quick snowball cookies with toasted pecans and vanilla bean are richer, nuttier, and more tender than traditional versions. They come together in under 30 minutes with simple ingredients, making them perfect for weeknight baking or holiday gatherings.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened
  • ½ cup (60g) powdered sugar, plus more for coating
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or seeds from 1 vanilla bean
  • 1¾ cups (220g) all-purpose flour
  • ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 cup (120g) pecans, toasted and finely chopped
  • 1 cup (120g) powdered sugar (for coating)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Toast the pecans: Place pecan halves in a dry skillet over medium heat. Shake the pan every 30 seconds until fragrant and slightly darkened, about 4-5 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board to cool, then chop finely.
  3. Cream the butter and ½ cup powdered sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes with a hand mixer or 3 minutes with a wooden spoon.
  4. Add the vanilla bean paste or vanilla bean seeds and beat until combined.
  5. Add the flour and salt to the bowl. Mix on low speed or stir gently until just combined, with a few streaks of flour remaining.
  6. Fold in the cooled, chopped pecans until evenly distributed. The dough will be soft and slightly crumbly.
  7. Scoop rounded tablespoons of dough (about 1½ tablespoons each) and roll into balls. Place on the prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart.
  8. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until bottoms are lightly golden and tops are set but not brown. Rotate the baking sheet halfway through.
  9. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for exactly 5 minutes. While still warm, roll each cookie in powdered sugar until completely coated. Place on a cooling rack.
  10. Once cookies are completely cool (about 20-30 minutes), roll them in powdered sugar again for a second coating. Gently shake off excess sugar.

Notes

Toast pecans carefully as they burn quickly. Use room-temperature butter that is cool to the touch but gives slightly when pressed. Do not skip the second sugar coating for the classic snowball look. Cookies can be frozen for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: snowball cookies, pecan cookies, vanilla bean cookies, Christmas cookies, easy cookie recipe, quick cookies, weeknight baking

Find it online: https://perkypan.com/quick-easy-snowball-cookies-with-toasted-pecans-and-vanilla/